Safety appliance for flying-machines.



I. H. KENDIG.

SAFETY APPLIANCE FOR FLYING MACHINES. APPLICATION FILED AUILZI 1,277,945.

,I9I2- RENEWED FEB. 4. I918.

Patented Sept. 3, 1918.

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IN VEN TO R.

A TTORNE Y.

w m w W J; H. KENDIG SAFETY APPLIANCE FOR FLYING MACHINES. APPLICATION FILED AUG.21. I912. RENEWED FEB. 4. line.

1,277,945. Patented Sept. 3, 1918.

6 SHEETSSHEET 2' WITNESSES: fl 7iVi ENTOR. d 7761/2224 By Z: i M f mRNEk J. H. KENDIG.

SAFETY APPLIANCE FOR FLYING. MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.2I, 1912. RENEWED FEB. 4, ma.

Patented Sept. 3, 1918.

6 SHEETS-SHEET fi IN VENTOR. BY

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m: NORRIS PETERS co. PHOro-L/rmz. wnsnmomu. o. r

1.11. KENDIG.

SAFETY APPLIANCE FOR FLYING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.2I. 1912. RENEWED FEB. 4. 1918.

1,277,945. Patented Sept. 2,1918.

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WITNESSES: IN V EN TOR.

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L H. KENDIG.

SAFETY APPLIANCE FOR FLYING MACHiNES.

APPLICATION FILIED Aue.21.1912. RENEWED FEB. 4. I918.

' 1 ,277,945 Patented Sept. 3, 1918.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

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IN V EN TOR. M I

ATTORNEY.

J. H. KENDIG.

SAFETY APPLIANCE FOR FLYING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.2I, 1912. RENEWED FEB. 4. 191a.

Patented Sept. 3, 1918.

GSHEETS-SHEET 6.

m E me M Q m T JULIAN H. KENDIG, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

SAFETY APPLIANCE FOR FLYING-MACHINES.

r Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 3,1918.

Application filed August 21, 1912, Serial No. 716,226. Renewed February 4, 1918. Serial No. 215,398.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JULIAN H. KENDIG,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety Apneither danger to the aviator nor damage to the machine; the provision in a devlce of the character described comprising a parachute and a connecting cable of means whereby the distance between the machine and the parachute may be shortened in order to decrease the rate of the fall of the machine; the provision in a device of the character described comprising a parachute or similar supporting element and a connecting cable, of means whereby the distance between the parachute and the machine may be automatically shortened; the provision in a device of the character just specified of improved means of shortening the cable automatically when the falling machine reaches a predetermined distance above ground; the provision in a device of the character described comprising a parachute and a supporting cable of a tension control mechanism whereby the load pressure on the parachute and cable is maintained below a predetermined amount regardless of the falling velocity of the machine; the provision of means whereby the parachute may be quickly opened and when open will not be subjected to a load pressure sufficient to burst the parachute or break the cable; and in general the provision of a device of the character described which is simple and effective and in which the liability of the parts becoming inoperative is reduced to a minimum. My invention further contemplates the provision of automatic and manual control mechanism independently operable. These together with such other objects as may hereinafter appear or are incident to the invention, I attain by meansof a construction illustrated in preferred form in the accompanying drawings, wherein V t Figure 1 is a side elevation of a monoplane of the Bleriot type withmy invention applied thereto; Fig. 2 is aside elevation of the motor drawn on an enlarged scale showing the clutch mechanism for controlling the propeller and the mechanism for shortening the cable together with the means for operating the clutches; Fig. 3 is a front elevation of Fig. 2 with the propeller removed; Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are sectional views of the mechanism for automatically controlling the cable shortening mechanism; Fig. 7 is a section shows the cable drum upon which the cable is wound together with a side elevation of the mechanism for braking the drum so that the cable will feed out under increasing pressure; Fig. 8 is a longitudinal section taken through the central portion of Fig. 7

. with the braking mechanism shown in plan view; Fig. 9 is a section through the brake drum; Fig. 10 is an end View of Fig. 9, partially in section; Fig. 11 is a side elevation of the sprocket for driving the shaft of'the cable drum when the cable is to bejshortened and illustrates the operative connection between the shaft and the sprocket; Fig. 12 is a partial side elevation and section of Fig. 11; Fig. 13 is a longitudinal section through the clutch mechanism drawn on an enlarged scale; Figs. l leand 15 are detailviews drawn on an enlarged scale and illustrate the mechanlsm for operating the clutches; Fig. 16 is a plan view of the mast of the machine and illustrates the guide means for the cable; Fig. 17 is a longituditaken on the line VIIVII of Fig. 8 and nal section through Fig. 16; Fig. 18 is an enlarged view of a portion of .the pulley wheels in the mast which serve to guide the cable as it is fed out from the machine; and Fig. 19 shows a plan and side view of a means for operating a motor cut-out automatically when the cable has been shortened a predetermined amount.

In carrying out my invention, I propose to check the fall of a flying machine and bring it to the ground at a velocity sufficiently slow as to prevent injury to the operator and reduce the liabilityof breakage of the machine to a minimum. The arrangement of parachute shown in the accompanying drawings is substantially the same as that shown in my copending application Serial No. 650,435, filed September 20, 1911, as to construction, mode of operation and of which no extended illustration or description thereof will be herein made. Briefly stated however, the parachute 1 employ as a supporting element with which to lower the machine and its operator, is folded and held in confined position by a destructible envelop and normally lies in a plane parallel the direction of flight when in inoperative position and at an a'gle thereto when in operative position. The parachute is carried on a discharge mechanism 8 pivotally mounted on the aeroplane structure and is discharged preferably by pneumatic means, one or more of the guy ropes serving to rip off the destructible covering and assisting in the opening of the parachute as shown and described in said copending application. A cable 9 is fastened. to the parachute and serves as the supporting connection between the parachute and the machine. The cable has a temporary anchorage indicated at 10 and is held until the parachute has fully opened and commences to drag upon the machine at which time the temporary anchorage is released and the cable begins to feed out from its place of storage on the machine, as will hereinafter further appear. As thus far described the apparatus employed and its operation are substantially the same as that shown and described in my copending application referred to, although in the present instance the mechanism is shown applied to the fuselage 11 of a monoplane. t

The main operating mechanism comprises a lever 12 pivoted in the fuselage in front of the operators seat and provided with an operating cord or cable 13 fastened to the lower end of the lever and extending to the release mechanism for the parachute diagrammatically indicated at 1%, which mechanism when actuated permits the parachute and discharge means therefor to assume a substantially vertical. position with respect to the machine at which time the parachute is automatically discharged as described in my copending application. Extending from the upper end of the operating lever 12 is another cord 15 which is connected to a lever 16 and arm 16 which operate a propeller clutch 17 hereinafter more fully to be described. lVhen the arm and lever are moved the driving connection. between the propeller 18 and the motor is broken and the propeller ceases to rotate with the motor.

The cable 9 extends from the parachute through the temporary anchorage over the grooved rod 19 to the mast of the machine from which it leads to a tension control mechanism mounted in the box or casing 20 bolted to the framework of the machine. The mast is of usual construction and comprises the fonr posts 22 which are bolted at their bottom ends to the framework of the machine and carry at their upper ends a casing 23, see particularly Figs. 1 and. 16. The casing is shown in section in Fig. 17 and carries four pulleys 2 1 which have their edges beveled and abutting one another for forming a substantially circular passageway 25 for the cable 9. This appears in Fig. 18 where portions of the pulleys are shown on an enlarged scale. By this construction the {cable will have an unobstructed feed through the mast regardless of the direction of the pull of the parachute relative to the machine.

lVhen the cable no longer feeds out and the parachute and machine are brought to relative rest and the load of the machine is entirely transferred to the parachute, 1 propose to wind up the cable when the machine has reached a predetermined distance above the ground and thereby decrease the rate of fall of the machine. That is to say, while the parachute under a given load is falling at a substantially regular rate of speed, the machine will be drawn toward the parachute, the differential in the speed being the rate of the fall of the machine. By this means the machine will land on the ground at a very low rate of speed and will not be damaged by the impact. This construction also permits of the use of a smaller parachute. In general the mechanism for accomplishing this result comprises a shaft 26 which is mounted in the box 20 and carries a cable reel or drum hereinafter described and has a bearing in the bracket 27 bolted to the nnderframing 21. Mounted on the outer end of the shaft 26 is a sprocket wheel 28 which carries the drive chain 29 engaging a sprocket 30 which is mounted on the main shaft 31 of the motor and has operative connection therewith by means of a clutch 32, see F 1 and 2. As will further appear, when the cable ceases to feed out the clutch 32 will be automatically thrown in at the proper time and the motor will begin to wind up the cable through the sprockets 30 and 28, chain 29 and shaft 26. When this mechanism is actuated the machine, figuratively speaking, climbs up the cable thereby reducing the rate of its fall.

In order that the operator may not operate the rewinding mechanism at a distance too great from the ground (in which event the cable might be entirely rewound and the machine would then fall at the same rate of speed the parachute) I prefer that such mechanism be automatically actuated, to which end I provide an operating cable or cord 33 which is connected to the main operating lever 12 at one end and to the automatic mechanism for actuating the rewinding mechanism. This arrangement will hereinafter be set forth. i

From the foregoing it will be apparent that upon the action of the operating lever 12 the entire operation is automatic. The detail constructions of my invention will now be described.

In order to insure-the rapid opening of the parachute and to prevent itsbursting or the breaking of the cable from the great stress which would be incident to the placing of the loadof the falling machine on the cable and parachute immediately upon the opening of the parachute, I make the fastening cable 9 of considerable length and wind it up on a reel or drum which permits of the initial feeding out of the cable at substantially zero'pressure, after which brake pressure is applied and the cable is fed out under a graduallv increasing ratio of increase of resistance until the entire. load of the machine is gradually transferred to the parachute through the cable, at which time the cable ceases to feed out. In order to prevent the stress upon the cable and parachute from rising above the limits of safety I provide means whereby the braking pressure is automatically maintained below a predetermined amount. The arrangement of cable drum and braking mechanism is disclosed in Figs. 7 and 8 to which attention is now directed.

The casing or box 20 is bolted to the framing of the machine beneath the mast and the cable 9 is led into it through the opening 34 (see. Fig. 1) and is wound upon and fastened to a reel or drum 35 keyed on the shaft 26 which is mounted in the box for rotative movement. Mounted on the shaft 26 adjacent the cable drum is a brake drum 36 which rotates with the shaft when the cable unwinds but has a relative movement with the shaft when the latter is rotated in the reverse direction to rewind the cable on the drum, 35. The braking pressure on the brake drum is applied by means of a pair of oppositely disposed brake blocks 37 which are preferably composed of wood and are fastened to brake bands 38 and 39. The brake band 38 is pivotally fastened at one end to a brake lever 42 and at the other end to the arm 41 of a toggle and the other brake band is fastened similarly to a brake lever 40 and the other arm 43 of the toggle, the arms 41 and 43 being pivoted at their inner ends at 44.

The brake levers are pivoted together at 45 at their outer ends and are recessed at their inner ends to receive a shaft 46 which is provided with a worm gear 47 engaging the worm 48 of the shaft 26. The shaft 46 is held in proper position by means of the strap 49 which embraces the shaft 26, the ends of the shaft 46 having sliding engagement with the brake levers 40 and 42 to provide for the slight movement of the brake levers on application of brake pressure. The shaft 46 is oppositely threaded on either side of the worm gear 47 and is provided with floating nuts 50 and At each end 'of'the shaft 46 is a floating abutment 52 adapted to abut the ends of the brake levers 40 and 42 and mounted on the shaft between each nut and one 'of the abutments is a tapered wire helical spring 53, the thinner ends of which are adjacent the floating nuts. As the cable unwinds the drum 35 is rotated and rotates the shaft 26 which in turn rotates the brake drum and the worm 48. The worm through the worm gear '47 rotates the shaft 46 and the floating nuts 50 and 51 are advanced outwardly, the nuts being held against rotative movement by means of lugs 54 which engage the slotted lugs 55 formed on the casing 20. The inital movement of the nuts is free but as their outward progress continues they abut the springs 53 and press them outwardly from the center thus placing an outwardpressure on the ends of the brakelevers 40 and 42, such pressure increasing at a gradually increasing ratio of increase. The outer ends of the brake levers are moved together by this movement and draw the brake bands together thus forcing the brake blocks into the grooved brake drum 36.

In order to prevent the braking pressure from rising above a predetermined amount, the following mechanism is provided. The toggle arms 41 and 43 are pivotally connected to an arm 56 by means of the toggle link 57. One end of the arm 56 is pivoted at 56 to a slidable bar 58 and the other end is connected to the bar by an adjustable spring 59, the inward movement of the arm 56 being prevented by the pin 60 mounted in the bar 58. The arm 56 is provided at its lower end with a nose 61 which abuts a nib 62 formed on the bracket 63 bolted to the brake band 39. As the braking pressure increases two things occur: viz., the brake bands tend to draw together and the braking mechanism (which as will be apparent from the foregoing is a floating construction) as a whole tends to rotate with the brake drum. The effect of this is that the toggle arms 41 and 43 tend to straighten out thus relieving the brake bands and reducing the braking pressure on the brake drum. The straightening out of the toggles is controlled by the arm 56 and the toggle link 57 as the rotation of the braking mechanism tends to turn the arm 56 outwardly through the media of the bracket 63 pushing against the short lever arm 61 of the arm 56. It will be apparent however that the straightening out of the toggle arms will not occur until the braking pressure is suflicient to overcome the tension of the spring 59 and the arm 56 is swung outwardly. It will be understood that the braking mechanism retards the feeding out of the cable and the spring 59 is such that its tension is overcome when the braking pressure rises above the limit of the load which may be safely placed upon the cable 9. It will also be understood that the load of the falling ma chine is greater than the load of the machine 790/ .90. When the braking pressure drops, the spring 59 will pull the arm 56 inwardly and the toggle arms will thus be moved to normal position. It is also to be observed that the braking pressure required to over come the tension of the spring 59 is considerably greater than the load pressure of the machine on the cable when the entire load of the machine is transferred to the parachute. The braking pressure required in absorbing the energy of the falling ma chine is greater than the load pressure of the machine and it will be seen from the above that once the cable drum ceases to rotate, the brakes will still be maintained in brak ing position.

It will be seen that it is desirable that the mechanism for automatically starting the rewinding mechanism normally should not be actuated while the cable drum is still ro tating, and I have therefore provided means whereby such automatic mechanism will not be actuated until the cable drum stops rotating. This comprises a lever 6i pivoted to the reel casing at 65 and provided with an apertured end (36 adapted to receive the threaded stem 67 of the bar 58. The bar 58 is provided with a nubbin 68 fitting an aperture (39 in the casing 20 and is guided by the nubbin and the stem portion 67 which slides in the slotted. or rect sed block '70 of the casing 20. The other end 71 of the lever (it is connected to a pair of springs 72 which are adjustably positioned by means of the bolt 73 and nut 73; The springs 72 are of such strength that they prevent rotative nioven'ient of the braking mechanism until the braking pressure rises to a point slightly greater than the load of the machine, at which time the tension on the lever 64: is overcome and the braking mechanism will force the bar 58 upwardly and draw the end 71 of the lever 6 L downwardly until the pivoted nose 7 1; therefor moves beneath the stop block 75 adjustably mounted on the rod 75, the nose 7% being pressed against the rod 75 by the pressure of the spring 743. The tension of the springs '72 is overcome shortly after the tension on the cable 9. eX- ceeds the weight of the machine, and of course permits lever lit, to be actuated before the tension spring 59 is overcome, because the spring 59 is of such length, and the leverage is so proportioned that its tension will not be overcome until the tension on the cable approaches the safety limit, thereof, which tension is considerably more than that required to actuate lever Gel against the tension of. springs 72. The rod 75 is connected to a rock shaft by means of a rock arm 76, and the rock shaft is connected by a rock arm 76" to a rod 77. then the entire load of the machine is transferred to the parachute and the cable no longer feeds out. the pressure on the cable is the load pressure of the machine and this pressure will be overcome by the tension of the springs 72 which draw the lever 61 upwardly and impart a similar movement to the rod 77 through the nose 7 land stop block 75. The rod through the rock arms 76 and 76 will impart movement to the rod 77 in the direction of the arrow-see Fig. 7. Owing to the floating character of the braking mechanism this will have no effeet on. the brake blocks. This movement of the rod 77 permits of the actuation of the automatic rewinding mechanism as will more fully appear.

In practice I prefer to have the brake drum and braking apparatus swimming partly in oil, and have designed the brake drum 36 in such manner that it has great strength and at the same time may be partially filled with water for absorbing the heat generated in the braking of the cable drum. The brake drum is divided longitudinally by the annular rib 36" and radially by ribs 36 forming compartments in which the water is carried. The sides of the drum are provided with a plurality of openings stopped by fusible ')lugs 36 which will fuse. at a. temperature of approximately boiling heat and permit the escape of any steam which might thereafter be formed in the drumsee Figs. 9 and 10.

lVheu the cable drum is unwinding or feeding out the cable the brake drum rotates with the shaft. as previously pointed out, but when the cable is to be rewound the brake drum does not rotate with the shaft. This is accomplished by means of a ratchet connection between the brake drum and the shaft comprising a pawl. 78 mounted in the brake drum 30 and adapted to engage a notch 79 cut into the shaft 26, and a spring 78 which normally holds the pawl down in position to engage the notch 79 as the shaft 26 rotates. This is fully shown in 9.

The rewinding mechanism together with the automatic control means therefor will now be described. reference being had particularly to Figs. 1 to at inclusive and 11 and 12. T he rewinding mechanism comprises, as previously stated, the sprocket 30 mounted on the main drive shaft 31, the chain 29 and uprocket 28 which is mounted on the cable drum shaft lVhen the shaft 26 is rotated by the unwinding of the cable. the sprocket 28 does not rotate with the shaft in order to make the initial load on the cable as it be gins to reel off as light as possible. This isacromplished by means of a pawl, 80 which is maintained in position in the lip portion 81 of the bushing 82 mounted on the en larged end of the shaft 26 (see Figs. 11 and 12) the parts being held in place by the cover plate 82. The sprocket 28 is keyed to the bushing 82 by means of a key 28 which has lost motion in the key recess 28 formed in'the bushing. The hub of the sprocket is provided with a recess 28 which is adapted to receive the nose of the'pawl 80. \Vhen the shaft is rotated as the cable is unwound the bushing and the sprocket do not move, but when the sprocket is moved in the reverse direction from the main shaft the lost motion between the sprocket and bushing permits the recess 28 to register with the nose 80 of the pawl and the spring 8O depresses the pawl until the end thereofabuts the notch 26 cut into the shaft 26, at which time the sprocket, bushing and shaft move together to rewind the cable 9 on the cable drum. The. clutch 32 which throws the sprocket 30 into operative connection with the main drive shaft 31 is operated automatically by the following mechanism. lVhen the main operating lever 12 is actuated the cable 33 is pulled until the spring 83 (see Fig. 4) is stretched into engagement with the pivoted lever 33*, after which time the further pulling of the cable 33 will cause the lever 33 to be pulled to the left and the pawlthereof raised out of engagement with a toothed wheel 84 fastened to a drum 85 upon which is wound a cable 85 fastened at its lower extremity to a light weight 85*. When the dog is released the weight falls downwardly receiving an initial impulse from the spring 85 and the cable unwinds its full length. The dog is held in inoperative position when released by means of the spring 33 which is fastened at one end to the casing 86 in which the drum 84 is mounted and at the other end to the offset portion 33 of the dog, which ofiset portion is carried past center when the dog is released. The springs 83 and 33 serve to hold the dog in operative position normally. Mounted in the casing 86 is a mutilated gear 87 which engages the toothed wheel 84 and is normally rotated in the direction of the arrow by means of a spring 87*. As the wheel 84 is turned in the direction of the'arrow by the feeding out of the cable, the gear 87 ratchets onthe wheel 84 and is held in the position indicated until the cable is released or relieved of the weight 85". -On the other end of the drum shaft 85 is a ratchet wheel 88 which turns with the shaft and is engaged by a pawl 88 held in engagement by the spring 88*. The pawl is pivoted to a rod 89 which is supported from the casing and is pivotally connected to a disk 90 mounted on a shaft 90 and provided with a notch 90". The rod 89 is normallyheld in the position indicated inFig. 4 by the spring 89. lVhen the machine falls until the weight 85 strikes the ground and the cable 85 is relieved of its weight, the spring 87 turns the gear 87 in the direction of the arrow against the pressure of the spring 89 of the rod 89 and thereby reverses the movement of the ratchet wheel 88 which then forces the pawl 88 outwardly moving the rod 89 outwardly, The rod'89 turns the disk 90 until the notch 90 registers with the hook 91 of an arm 91 pivoted to the casing86. The lower part of the arm 91 is provided with a nose 91 which supports a lever arm 92. The disk 90 is maintained in position until its complementary disk 92 is moved into proper position by the rod 77 which is actuated by the brake mechanism when the cable 9 stops unreeling in the 'manner previously described. The disk 92 is also provided with a notch 9Q which is adapted to aline with the hook 91 of the rod 91*. When both disks are moved to this position the spring 93 forces the arm 91 outwardly and the hook drops into the notches 90 at which time the nose 91 has released the lever arm 92. Thelever arm 92 is provided with a bell crank lever portion one arm of which is connected by a spring 92 to the bracket 27 and the other arm to a shifting arm 94 having a sliding engagement in the bracket 94 which provides a bearing for the main'shaft 31 (see Figs. 2 and 13). The'shifting arm 95- 94 carries a shaft 94 on which is mounted a worm Wheel 94 adapted to engage the worm 95 of the main shaft 31 when the shifting arm is elevated. The spring 93 operates the bell crank lever when the lever arm 92 is released by the nose 91 which is actuated in the manner above described.

crank lever and moves the worm wheel into engagement with the worm 95. Arack bar 105.

96 is carried on the shift arm 94 in such manner that it is always in engagement with the worm wheel 94. When the worm wheel is in engagement with the worm the former is turned thereby and advances the rack bar 11.0

96, which is connected to a lever arm 97 by a link 98. As the rack bar advances itmoves the arm 97 and turns the spring cam 99 secured to the said arm, and the cam actuates an arm 100 which advances the casing 101 and throws in the clutch 32. When the clutch is closed the sprocket 30 turns with the shaft and the shaft 26 through the media of the chain 29 and sprocket 28 is turned and winds up'the cable 9 on the cable drum 35. Normally the sprocket 28 together with the bushing on which it is mounted are maintained in the position indicated in Fig.

11 by the spring 116 which engages notches in the respective parts.

After the machine haslanded it is not desirable that the motor should kee on rewinding the cable 9 and I have t erefore provided an automatic engine cut-out which comprises a switch 102 in the ignition c1rcuit of the motor, an operating lever 103 therefor, and a wire cage 101 which is fastened to the cable 9 and will engage the lever 103 andv throw the switch when the cable 9 is wound up sufficiently, thus automatically cutting out the motor.

The operation thus far described may be summarized as follows: The operator pulls the lever 12 which through the cable 13 releases the parachute discharge mechanism and permits of the discharge of the parachute clear of the machine. At the same time the cable is actuated and the automatic feeler weight 85* drops down and hangs pendent until it strikes the ground and permits of the actuation of the rewinding mechanism. The initial movement of the lever 12 also cuts out the propeller by means of the cable 15 and lever 16 and clutch 17. After the parachute has been opened, the cable 9 is dragged from its temporary anchorage indi ated at 10 and the cable begins to feed out through the mast from the cable drum 35, there being no initial pressure on the cable other than the load pressure of its own weight and that of the cable drum As the cable feeds out the braking mechanism is actuated and an increasing pressure is exerted at a gradually increasing ratio of increase of resistance until the entire load of the machine is placed on the cable and parachute and. the cable no longer feeds out. When this occurs the rewinding disk 92 is set in position to per mit of the actuation of the rewinding mechanism, the parts remaining in position until the feeler weight 85 strikes the ground and the other rewinding disk 90 properly positioned. The hook 91 will then fall into the notches 90 and the arm 91 releases the lever arm 92 .and the worm wheel 94 is moved into engagement with the worm 95 and actuates the clutch 2 in the manner described. The cable 9 is then rewound on its drum and the machine makes a landing at a very low rate of speed, after which the motor is automatically cut out. The entire operation after the actuation of the lever 12 is therefore automatic. During the feeding out of the cable 9 the tension thereon is automatically maintained below a predetermined amount within the limits of safety as previously pointed out. The entire operation previous to the operation of the rewinding mechanism requires but a very few seconds and it will be seen that the ma chine may be brought safely to the ground from a comparatively low elevation.

In cases where the failure of the machine is due to engine troublewhich experience has shown to be but a small percentage of the total. failures-the parachute will. bring the machine to the ground at a falling velocity which may result in damage to the machine, but which is nevertheless suflicient-ly slow as to cause no damage to the aviator.

I prefer that the mechanism be automatically operated throughout, but have also provided means whereby the rewinding mechanism may be manually operated in cases of extremity.

Referring to Fig. 1 it will be seen that I have provided a lever 105 from which a cord 106 leads to the end of the rod 89 (see Fig. 1). A similar cord 107 is attached to the end of the rod (see Fig. 8) and passes around a pulley 109 and then over a pulley 109" and is connected to the cable 106 (see Fig. 1) thereby causing the rod '75 to be moved upward. The rods 89 and 7 5 set the rewinding disks 90 and 92 and it will be readily seen that the actuation of the lever 105 will set the disks and actuate the rewinding mechanism regardless of the position of the automatic feeler weight.

One of the chief advantages of having no initial. load on the cable 9 is that the parachute will open with great rapidity and thus reduce the working distance required for a safe operation, and that when the parachute is opened it will not be subjected to a stress which will result in the bursting of the parachute or the breaking of the cable 9. The entire operation can be accomplished in ap1 roximately two hundred feet.

I prefer to arrange the braking mechanism in such manner that the brakes are automati- (rally released when the load pressure on the cable is in the neighborhood of five thousand pounds-a figure which provides ample margin of safety for the parachute and the cable.

Referring now to Figs. 2, 14 and 15, it will be seen that in addition to the lever 16, I have provided another lever 110 with which to manually operate the propeller clutch 17 without necessarily operating the lever arm 12. I accomplish this by mounting the lever 16 loosely on the shaft 111 and providing a ratchet engagement between it and the arm 110. The upper portion of the lever 110 is provided with ratchet teeth 112 which are adapted to be engaged by a pawl 113 mounted on the lever 16 and actuated by the lever 16 connected to the cord 15. The lever 16 is normally held in forward position by means of the spring 11 1 which is fastened to the framework 115 (see Fig. 2). The lever 110 actuates a spring cam 99 similar in construction to the cam 99, such cam engaging an arm 100 which moves the sleeve 101 which throws the clutch 17 By this arrangement the manual control lever 110 may be operated at will and the lever 16 will not be actuated until the cord 15 is pulled. Lever 110 is normally operated by means of a rod, shown only in part, which leads back to some convenient position in easy reach of the operator.

The detail construction of the clutches and their operating mechanism is clearly shown in Fig. 13. As there shown both clutches are shown in inoperative position. The construction is compact.

Having thus described my invention and illustrated its use what I claim-as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is the following 1. A safety device for flying machines comprising in combination, a parachute,

connecting cable for the parachute, means for automatically decreasing the distance between the machine and the parachute, and means for actuating the said means.

'22 A safety device for flying machines comprising in combination, a parachute, a connecting cable for the parachute, means for automatically shortening thecable, and means for actuating the said means.

3. A safety device for flying machines comprising in combination, a parachute, a connecting cable for the parachute, a drum upon which the cable is wound, means whereby the drum is automatically rotated to wind up the cable, and means for actuating the said means.

a. A safety device for flying machines comprising in combination, a parachute, a connecting cable for the parachute, means for elongating the length of the cable between the machine and the parachute, means for automatically shortening the cable, and means for actuating the last said means.

5. A safety device for flying machines comprising in combination, a parachute, a connecting cable for the parachute, a tension control mechanism for elongating the length of cable between the machine and the parachute under pressure, means whereby the cable is automatically shortened in length, and means for actuating the last said means.

6. A safety device for flying machines comprising in combination, a parachute, a connecting cable for the parachute, a tension control mechanism for elongating the 7 length of the cable between the machine and the parachute as they are falling, and means for shortening the cable automatically actu ated when the machine has reached a predetermined distance above the ground.

7. A safety device for aeroplanes and similar flying machines comprising in combination, -a parachute, a connecting cable for the parachute adapted to feed out to lengthen the distance between the parachute and the machine, and a tension control mechanism therefor for maintaining the tension on the cable below a predetermined amount.

8. A safety device for flying machines comprising in combination, a parachute, a connecting cable therefor adapted to feed out to lengthen the distance between the comprising in combination, a parachute, a

connecting cable therefor adapted to feed out to lengthen the distance between" the machine and the parachute, a tens1on control mechanism for the cable for absorbing the energyof the falling machine unt1l the tension on the cable is the load pressure of the machine, and means for automatically shortening the length of the cable whenthe tension on the cable is the load pressure of the machine.

10. A safety device for flying machines comprising in combination, a parachute, a connecting cable therefor, and means for drawing the machine and parachute together as they are falling, said means being actuated when the machine reaches a predetermined distance from the ground.

11. A safety device for flying machines comprising in combination, a parachute, a connecting cable therefor, means for shortening the length of the cable, and means automatically stopping the shortening means when the cable has been shortened a predetermined amount.

12. A safety device for flying machines comprising in combination, a parachute, a connecting cable therefor adapted to feed out to lengthen the distance between the parachute and the machine, a drum upon which the cable is wound, means for rewinding the cable upon the drum, and means whereby the rewinding means is actuated automatically.

13. A safety device for flving machines comprising in combination, a parachute, a connecting cable therefor adapted to feed out to lengthen the distance between the parachute and the machine, a drum upon which the cable is wound, mechanism for rewinding the cable on the drum, and means for automatically stopping the rewinding mechanism.

14. A safety device for flying machines comprising in combination, a parachute, a connecting cable therefor adapted to feed. out to lengthen the distance between the parachute and the machine, a drum upon which the cable is wound, mechanism for rewinding the cable on the drum automatically actuated when the machine reaches a predetermined distance from the ground, and means for automatically stopping the rewinding mechanism.

15. A safety device for aeroplanes comprising in combination, a, parachute, a connccting' cable for the parachute and a tension control mechanism, for the cable Whereby the tension of the cable is gradually increased to a predetermined amount and maintained within the said limit.

16. A safety device for aeroplanes comprising in combination, a parachute, a connecting cable for the parachute and a tension control mechanism for the cable whereby the tension of the cable is automatically gradually increased after the parachute is in spread or operative position.

17. A safety device for aeroplanes comprising in combination, a parachute, a connecting cable for the parachute and a tension control mechanism for the cable whereby the tension of the cable is gradually increased positively after the parachute is in spread or operative position.

18. A safety device for aeroplanes compris- 20 ing in combination, a parachute, a cable for the parachute, means for feeding out the cable to increase the distance between the aeroplane and parachute, means for shortening the cable and means whereby the 25 shortening means is prevented from being prematurely actuated.

Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington. D. 0." 

